What's YOUR favorite soup recipe?

[Mannlicher]

A good fall soup. I used to serve it in my seafood restaurant.

Cauliflower Soup
One pound cauliflower, diced
One medium onion, fine diced
One rib celery, fine diced
One large chef potato, diced
One tbls butter, one tbls good olive oil
3 cups vegetable stock, or defatted chicken stock
salt, pepper , white pepper, cayenne to taste
one cup heavy cream
one tbls sherry
4 oz shredded sharp Vermont white cheese


Sauté onion and celery in the butter and olive oil until translucent
Add stock, cauliflower, potato and seasonings
Cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 min, or so until the vegetables are tender
Remove, and cool, Remove most of the cauliflower. Use a hand blender, and puree the soup until smooth
Place back in saucepan; add the reserved cauliflower and the heavy cream.
Heat, but do not boil
Add sherry, and three oz of the shredded cheese
Stir to blend. Top with the rest of the cheese, and serve

[Lana]

I used to work at a little place in Mill Valley, CA called The Depot. They had the best food.

They served Rosemary Chicken Soup and Lemon CHicken Soup that were both to die for! I wish that I had the recipe because I would share, but I don't.

All I know is these soups were fabulous. They were both very simple, not a lot of stuff in them. Big chucks of breast meat chicken, delicate broth, small onion bits and then either the rosemary or the lemon slices. I think the lemon soup also had green onions or chives and maybe rice, but I can't remeber if the rice was on the side.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Lana

I used to work at a little place in Mill Valley, CA called The Depot. They had the best food.

I've eaten at The Depot a few times. Food was OK ...

Shel

[Ishbel]

Originally Posted by bughut

Lentil soup made with a smoked ham shank, carrots, swede. onions and seasoning So thick you have to be able to stand your spoon up in it. Pick the bone and mix the meat in.

I still make mine to my Gt ... Gt.... Granny's recipe. Scottish style lentil soup is only surpassed by Scotch both as a winter warmer

[Lana]

Originally Posted by shel

I've eaten at The Depot a few times. Food was OK ...

Shel

This was back in the early 90's---like '92 maybe. Could have changed hands since then?? Who knows! But back then, the food was good.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Lana

This was back in the early 90's---like '92 maybe. Could have changed hands since then?? Who knows! But back then, the food was good.

I lived just down the road from the place, and have eaten there off and on since, oh, maybe the mid-seventies or so

shel

[BombayBen]

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer

Over dinner, during one of the Garlic Is Life symposia, Chester Aaron casually mentioned his root soup. When I expressed interest he graciously provided the recipe. It’s become one of our favorite winter soups:

Chester Aaron’s Root Soup

6 beets, roots & greens both
3 turnips
8 carrots
3 parsnips
2 large white onions
¼ cup wine vinegar
Juice of two lemons
6 tbls honey
2 tbls butter
Salt & pepper to taste
1 head garlic.

Separate beet roots from greens. Cut roots into slices or cubes. Cover with water. Add vinegar, lemon juice and honey. Boil until tender. Remove from pot.

Chop beet greens. Add to water and boil 10 minutes. Remove. Adjust sweet/sour taste with more vinegar or honey.

Cut other roots into chunks and cook in separate pot until tender. Reserve cooking water.

Slice onions and fry in butter until golden.

In a large bowl add all roots except beets. Blend with immersion blender, and keep adding vegetable water as needed until soup has a fine smooth texture. Pour into separate container.

Using immersion blender, bring beets, in their red juice, to same smooth texture.

Mix beet puree into other vegetable liquid. Stir. Add salt & pepper to taste.

It is a particularly chilly day today and I have made your root soup recipe for a lunchtime special in the cafe - the only thing is that I may have lost something in the translation - you can taste the vinegar in it!! - is there anyway to remedy this? - maybe simmer it to evaporate the vinegar? or add more water? - can you help please - needs to be before 12.00 noon (it is 9.20 am now) - any help will be greatly appreciated!

[KYHeirloomer]

Ben, I've only made the recipe as it appears; never made larger quantitities that is. So don't know how that might effect things.

I haven't had to adjust it, either. But see the second paragraph re: adjusting with additional vinegar or honey as necessary. Perhaps that's what you need to try; adding more honey?

I wonder, too, if you increase the parsnips and/or carrots if that wouldn't sweeten it up a bit?

Other than that, I have no advice to offer. Sorry.

[KYHeirloomer]

Last night made a Maryland Crab, Shrimp, and Bacon chowder, using the recipe in James Villas' new book, The Bacon Cookbook.

Despite all the time I've spent playing around Chesapeake Bay, I'd never had this before. But it won't be the last time. It's really great! Sort of like a She Crab Soup and an Oyster Stew combined, using bacon instead of salt pork, milk, rather than cream, and combining crabmeat and shrimp.

The onions and potatoes give it some body, without making it heavy.

I would definately think of this as a soup course at a sit-down dinner.

[BombayBen]

Thanks KY - yeah I added more water, honey and simmered for a good 30 minutes - stirring all the time - sold a couple of portions and they went down well - will post a pic when I can find all my wires (just moved house!) - it is nice and I think taste will probably improve overnight (just a guess)

[KYHeirloomer]

Yeah, I think you're probably right, Ben. Overnight sitting will give all those flavors a chance to meld.

Another hearty soup that might go over well with your customers comes from The Hungry Trout---an inn in the Adirondack Mountains. It's simple to make, and has no hard and fast amounts:

Sausage Soup The Hungry Trout

Saute hot Italian sausage until done. Drain and break apart. Add to beef stock, along with tomatoes and onions. Add a few pepper flakes if desired.

I got this recipe from them before bulk Italian sausage was readily available, so had to use links originally. I would strip the casings from a pound of sausage before cooking, and break the sausage apart as it cooked. Nowadays I just buy the bulk sausage. Then I saute the onions lightly in the grease from the sausage, add the tomatoes, stock, and reserved sausage meat.

Works like a charm.

[BombayBen]

Hey KY - thanks for the recipe! went down really well with the customers. It did 'mature' I served it with a garnish of deep fried sweede julienne and cilantro - the colors were spectacular! - thanks for the recipe - may try the one above too!!

[puppypusher]

I like the Halloween Witches Brew recipe. Thank you American Suisse..........

[KYHeirloomer]

I can picture the look of that, and it had to be spectacular.

I would have thought cilantro too overpowering. But a flag of deep-fried sage sticking up out of the rutabaga julienne would be just as pretty.

While I think of it, imagine reversing the colors, by making a butternut squash or pumpkin bisque, and garnishing with beetroot julienne.

[BombayBen]

done that ,been there ,got the t-shirt!! - Huge thanks once again - fantastic!! cilantro was a sprinkle - just for color! - red white and green - will post a pic when I find all my stuff - just moved house!!